Living gluten free has been one of my most satisfying but challenging decisions. When I noticed my children were even experiencing the benefits of being a gluten free household, I was sold on it.

It does have it’s challenges though. You can’t go to a restaurant and enjoy the warm breads, fresh handmade pastas or even croutons on a salad. Cutting out wheat from my diet, was a piece of cake. Until I thought about the things we tend to forget. The sauces. Soya sauce is a huge Asian ingredient, so now that’s out of the question. However gluten free Tamari is an option. One of the toughest things to remember is the bevies.

Those with a Celiac allergy or a gluten free lifestyle can enjoy almost every single wine, red or white. So that’s a plus. Gluten free beers are being served in many establishments across North America, and there are even some common wheat based liquors that have gluten free options.

Vodka for instance has three well known vodka brands that are gluten free because they either have a grape, corn or potato base. Interesting right? Ciroc is a grape based vodka and it a favorite for many Hollywood celebrities. Chopin offers a potato based vodka along side their wheat and rye options and the beauty of the bottle is just an added bonus. One that many people don’t know is that Smirnoff is also safe. Smirnoff vodka has a corn base and do not use wheat, rye or barley.

For the kiddies, there are some drinks you want to avoid too. Capri Sun is a popular lunch time juice box brand owned by Kraft. There may be risk of contamination so you have to make sure to read the package. And for those south of the border, Minute Maid is usually a safe bet for a delicious gluten free juice beverage. However, in Canada, only Minute Maid Light Lemonade is considered gluten free.

A lot of juices have barley added to them as a sweetener so you just have to be very careful. Read the packages, and go for the juices that are 100% real fruit juice. Try to avoid frozen or canned juices. If all else fails, ask your doctor for the best gluten free beverages for you and your family.

Feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If I can help in any way, I absolutely will. I am not a physician or medical professional however, I can share my personal experiences as a way to help you, friend to friend.